Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society Special Series Validates Element of NIH Toolbox

An eight-essay collection of articles published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society confirms the validity of the Cognition Battery element of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function

The collection of eight essays, guest edited by Professor Skye MacDonald from the University of New South Wales in Australia, presents compelling evidence that the cognitive element of the NIH Toolbox can be used effectively in future epidemiological and clinical studies.

The development of the NIH Toolbox was commissioned by 16 NIH Institutes to provide highly accessible measures for use across a range of epidemiological and clinical research settings. Its goal was to provide a multidimensional set of brief measures that could be administered in both English and Spanish assessing cognitive, emotional, motor and sensory function across the lifespan (from ages 3 to 85).

For the past eight years, under the leadership of Principal Investigator Dr. Richard Gershon from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, a team of more than 300 scientists from nearly 100 academic institutions have been developing a set of state-of-the-art tools to enhance data collection in large cohort studies and to advance neurobehavioral research.

Part of the flagship Blueprint for Neuroscience Research project launched in 2004, the Cognition Battery element of the NIH Toolbox includes seven test instruments that measure abilities within five major cognitive domains: language, executive function, episodic memory, processing speed, and working memory. Each of these domains is explored in detail within the eight essays in this special section of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

A total of 268 healthy adults were recruited for the validation study at four university-based sites, using stratified sampling guidelines to target demographic variability for age (20-85 years), gender, education, and ethnicity. The validation study for ages 3 to 19 was reported elsewhere (Monographs for the Society of Research in Child Development, 2011).

Scientists found that the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery Composite Scores showed excellent reliability and validity across the board. Having methodologically sound measurement tools that can be used over a broad age span will be of considerable value to the field for a number of reasons, from basic to applied, according to the co-authors of the final essay in the series.

Further testing of the NIH Toolbox is now underway with a larger number of children, adolescents, and adults to establish national (U.S.) norms for performance. As part of this research, norms will also be provided for a Spanish-language version of the NIH Toolbox. A direction for future research will be to examine the utility of the NIH Toolbox for children and adults suffering from neurological insult or injury or neurocognitive developmental disorders.

As well as including some important findings, this special series from the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society can earn readers Continuing Education (CE) credits.

All media inquiries through Marla Paul: marla-paul(at)northwestern(dot)edu or phone at 312-503-8928.

Additional institutions involved in this research include: University of California, San Diego; New York University Langone Medical Center; University of California, Davis; University of Washington, Seattle; and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Rockville, MD.

About the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society (JINS)

JINS is the official journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, an organization of over 4,500 international members from a variety of disciplines. JINS publishes empirically-based articles covering all areas of neuropsychology and the interface of neuropsychology with other areas, such as cognitive neuroscience. The editorial board is comprised of internationally known experts with a broad range of interests.

The International Neuropsychological Society was founded in 1967 and is dedicated to bringing together scientists from all scientific disciplines that contribute to the understanding of the brain. The Society currently has more than 4,500 members throughout the world.

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